Feb. 13, 2015
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After scoring a career-high 42 points in No. 10 Kentucky’s thrilling double overtime win over No. 13 Mississippi State on Thursday night, UK sophomore guard Makayla Epps earned national attention, being named one of ESPN’s SportsCenter Top-3 Stars of the Night, as well as the No. 10 position in “SportsCenter Top 10”, the network’s flagship countdown of the night’s best plays in all of sports.
Included in Epps’ 42 points was the game-winning basket with 0.4 remaining in the contest to put Kentucky up 92-90 in the second overtime. The Lebanon, Ky., native became just the second player in the Southeastern Conference in the last five years to have a 40-point game, joining teammate Jen O’Neill, who scored 43 points against Baylor in a quadruple overtime thriller a season ago.
Epps scored 15 of Kentucky’s 18 points in the two overtime periods, leading the way to her seventh double-figure scoring game in a row, and 20th this season in UK’s 24 games this season. She tied UK’s single-game record for most field goals made (18) with Valerie Still (18 vs. Florida on Feb. 20, 1982) – while her 30 FG attempts were the second-most in a single game in school history.
Up next, the 10th-ranked Wildcats (19-5, 8-3 SEC) travel to Knoxville, Tenn., Sunday, Feb. 15 to face sixth-ranked Tennessee (21-3, 11-0 SEC) at 3 p.m. ET in Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be carried live on ESPN2 and WatchESPN (http://es.pn/1zpoKo7) with Beth Mowins and Carolyn Peck calling the action, and the UK Radio Network with Neil Price, and Sirius 92, XM 190.
This is the 62nd meeting between Kentucky and Tennessee. UK has met UT more times than any other rival. The Lady Vols lead the all-time series 51-10, including 21-3 in Knoxville. The last three matchups between the teams have been decided by a combined six points. UK defeated the Lady Vols last season in Knoxville, 75-71, marking the Wildcats’ first win in Knoxville, Tenn., since a 76-72 win in the Stokely Athletics Center in 1985 and first-ever win in Thompson-Boling Arena. The Cats then fell to the Lady Vols in the finals of the SEC Tournament, 71-70.
Fans interested in UK Hoops tickets can visit the Joe Craft Center ticket office, go to UKathletics.com, or call the UK ticket office at 1-800-928-CATS. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Follow UK Hoops on Twitter and Instagram at @UKHoopCats and on Facebook by liking University of Kentucky Women’s Basketball.
